The Good Omens theme by our brilliant David G. Arnold played 28.8.2023 at the BBC Prom 57: Fantasy, Myths and Legends concert! :)❤
The BBC Concert Orchestra and conductor Anna-Maria Helsing recreated a host of classic fantasy soundtracks from film, TV and gaming marking the 50th anniversary of J. R. R. Tolkien’s death.
PROGRAMME
Howard Shore, orch. J. C. Whitney The Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship of the Ring Symphonic Suite 10’
Ramin Djawadi, arr & orch. John Langley Game of Thrones Suite 8’
De Falla El Amor Bruja (excerpts)
David Arnold, arr. & orch. N. Dodd Good Omens – Main Theme 3’
John Williams Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – Hedwig’s Theme 5’
Stravinsky The Firebird – suite (revised version, 1919) – ‘Berceuse’ and ‘Finale’ 8’
Mussorgsky, orch. Rimsky-Korsakov A Night on the Bare Mountain 12’
Lorne Balfe, orch. Bernard Duc His Dark Materials – Medley 10’
BBC Commission: world premiere of medley
Joe Hisaishi My Neighbour TOTORO for Orchestra 4’
Eimear Noone Malach, the Angel Messenger, from ‘World of Warcraft’ 7’
Grieg Peer Gynt, Op 23 (In the Hall of the Mountain King) 3’
John Williams Duel of the Fates 5’
2011 The blurb from the Horrible Histories prom. I nicked this from a website somwhere, I have forgotten where, sorry. Not great resolution so it's a little difficult to read - but not impossible.
thinking of tlsp's cover of memories at the 2008 bbc electric proms in liverpool, specifically miles' vocals there bcs i just can't get over it.
like how he retains the rawness of early cohen but polishes the edges and adds his own nuances. and how he blends his singing with whatever is going on with the orchestra and not letting the vocals get lost in the big sound. and how he doesn't make it sound like a poem being recited music playing in the background.
Radio Free Skaro #958 - Ghost Threat
- #DoctorWho UK press launch!
- Beatles drum set mea culpa!
- DWM #603!
http://traffic.libsyn.com/freyburg/rfs958.mp3
Download MP3
The Doctor Who publicity machine is slipping into second gear with Gatwa and Gibson making the rounds of a BBC premiere, chat shows, Variety Magazine, and more, but that doesn’t stop the Three Who Rule from marinating in questionable nostalgia as they recall viewing The Phantom Menace for the first time 25 years ago, aka the Dawn of…
Massively long career including time with BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Glyndebourne, and Chicago Lyric Opera.
My favorite bit of trivia about him comes from the AP obituary on the NPR website:
"During the pandemic, Davis translated Virgil's "Aeneid" from Latin into English verse.
"I took an entrance exam in classics in New College, Oxford," he told NPR, "but then a couple of weeks later I took the organ scholarship trials at King's College, Cambridge, which much to my surprise I won, so that was the end of classics for me."
If you're a classical music geek, this is worth a listen:
The sight of hundreds of European Union flags at the Last Night of the Proms has prompted outrage from Brexiters and a call for the BBC to investigate.
Those waving the EU flag in the Royal Albert Hall appeared to outnumber those waving the union flag at the event, which is usually a patriotic display, following a campaign by pro-Europeans.
The spectacle of so many EU flags being waved as the hall belted out Rule, Britannia! provoked disgust from leading Eurosceptics.
Harvey Proctor, a former Conservative MP, said it was a “disgraceful” display and called for an inquiry by the BBC, which organises and broadcasts the Proms.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, he said: “BBC must investigate how so many EU flags were waved & on display at The Last Night of the Proms. Disgraceful & misguided BBC messing up a British tradition; a political gesture which would make Sir Henry Wood turn in his grave. Utterly vulgar & wrong. Rule Britannia, not Rule EU!”
Isabel Oakeshott, the journalist and rightwing commentator, also posted on X, saying: “The Last Night of the Proms appears to be a seething mass of remainers. Can’t wait for Rule Britannia.”
Nile Gardiner, a former aide to Margaret Thatcher and a contributor to the Daily Telegraph, posted: “Ironic to see some of the audience at The Last Night of the Proms waving EU flags while singing Rule Britannia. Rule Britannia represents freedom, sovereignty, and self-determination, all absent in the European Union. Thank God for Brexit.”
The spectacle was hailed as a success by a pro-European group of music lovers called Thank EU For The Music who organised the display and said they handed out thousands of EU flags outside the Albert Hall.
In a Facebook post, it said the the display sent a “powerful signal to the world that Britain wants back IN!”
In an open letter to Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, the group said the stunt was a demonstration against Brexit.
“Tens of thousands of music lovers have taken our free European flags into the Royal Albert Hall for each Last Night of the Proms in solidarity with musicians who feel (like countless others) the destructive impact of Britain’s recent isolation from Europe,” it said.
It said it was keen to emphasis the “European and internationalist values of art and culture”.
The letter added: “We appreciate that the BBC strives to avoid controversy at all costs, but would gently point out that in doing so you might on occasion have chosen reticence rather than objectivity with regards to editorial policy on Brexit matters.
“I’m sure it cannot have escaped your attention that the artistic endeavours on stage now happen despite, not because of, the limitations that Britain’s departure from the European Union have imposed on the creative industries.”
Saturday’s Last Night of the Proms was the first full event since before the pandemic. Last year’s event was cancelled following the death of the queen.